The Raja Bell Escape From Deseret: Jazz and Bell Still Working On A Buyout

Here is your latest update on the Raja Bell contract buyout saga: both the Jazz and Bell are ironing out a deal to get a buyout done, but nothing has been agreed upon yet. It was pretty obvious last year that Raja Bell wanted out of Utah for many reasons, including discontent for coach Corbin, lack of minutes, and a feeling of not being needed due to Hayward and Burks (hence the lack of minutes). One new tidbit of info regarding this story is it has now surfaced that Bell hasn't rejected any buyout offer from the Jazz as was thought a month ago. Either way, the sooner the Jazz can get Raja Bell to go on his merry way out of Utah, the better. There is definitely no need to have Raja Bell hanging around the team like an angry bee.

Grading The Utah Jazz Offseason

The Utah Jazz have had a very interesting and fairly active off season. Despite having no first round picks, and only one second round pick, the Jazz have still found ways to improve their team. They got Mo Williams from the Clippers for basically nothing, traded Devin Harris to the Hawks for Marvin Williams, signed free agent Randy Foye, watched CJ "chucker" Miles leave for Cleveland and gotten a new GM in Dennis Lindsey. Overall, the Jazz have had a very solid offseason and have clearly improved their team/organization.
          Bringing in Mo Williams improves the team because he is familiar with Utah's system and he's a better offensive player than Devin Harris. Mo Williams may not play a lick of defense, but he can stretch the floor and score from just about anywhere on the court. He makes Utah's backcourt a lot more offensively potent. He proved last season with the Clippers that he can still light up the scoreboard, and that is something that the Jazz desperately need coming from the point guard position.
        Not only that, but they didn't have to give up Devin Harris to get him. They were able to give away an $8M trade exception in exchange for him, and trade Devin Harris to get an athletic small forward in Marvin Williams.  The Jazz upgraded at the point guard and small forward positions while only giving up one player! The Jazz wouldn't have wanted to trade one of their young budding players like Hayward for Marvin Williams, but they would be willing to give up Devin Harris if they found another guy to play the point.
    The next big move they made was signing free agent Randy Foye. Foye is a definite upgrade at the 2 guard position. Like Mo Williams, he can score the ball from anywhere and stretch the floor. Randy Foye is a perfect option because he will be a familiar face in the backcourt for Mo Williams and he shoots well beyond the arc (36.6% career 3 point shooter). The Jazz were a bad 3 point shooting team last season, and Foye's presence along with Mo will help fix that problem. Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks are both still very young and they aren't quite ready to shoulder the load at the shooting guard and small forward positions full time. Foye's presence will help ease the pressure off of their shoulders and help them develop at a more comfortable rate.
       The departure of CJ Miles may be sad for Jazz fans who kept on thinking that CJ Miles would one day be a really good starting shooting guard in the NBA. But that day never came, and likely won't. CJ can undoubtedly go crazy from beyond the arc, but his play was way too sporadic and inconsistent for the Jazz to have him as a regular part of their offensive game plan. All he did when he touched the ball was chuck up a shot from Wendover, NV and that isn't the way you establish good offensive chemistry. Especially in Utah's system.  When CJ was on his game it was a bonus, but it was nothing that they could bank on or rely on. Having Cleveland come in and swoop him up was a godsend to the Jazz because now they don't have to deal with his spotty play or worry about how to divide the minutes between him, Alec Burks, and Gordon Hayward. Now that they have added Randy Foye who is more consistent, the departure of CJ Miles should be embraced by all of Jazz nation.
    Finally, we have the "promotion" of Kevin O'Connor to an executive position and the hiring of Dennis Lindsey as the team's new GM. Many members of Jazz nation are celebrating the "promotion" of KOC out of the GM spot as if LeBron James had just agreed to sign a long term contract with the Jazz. Jazz fans have been fed up and pissed at Kevin O'Connor for years, and have been waiting for an asteroid to come from space to take him out. Him being "promoted" out of the job is the second best thing that could have happened, and to make things even better, the replacement is a guy from the Spurs organization. The Jazz have always been envious of the Spurs, who are basically a better version of the Jazz. Like Utah, the Spurs have been competitive for years in a small and undesirable market for players to be in. But somehow the Spurs have won 4 NBA championships. Stealing a guy who can rub some of that San Antonio magic onto the Jazz is a very good thing and perhaps the biggest of all off-season moves by the Jazz. O'Connor wasn't all bad, but he certainly hasn't wowed the Utah fans either. I think it was time he moved on to "bigger and better" things.
     Overall, the Jazz look to have a better season after all of the above/mentioned moves. I think it's safe to assume that they will be a better team next year, but that doesn't mean they'll have better results. Teams like the Nuggets, Warriors,and Timberwolves have also made moves that have improved their clubs. Utah's moves might just be what's needed to "keep up with the Jones'". Change always brings about much excitement and chatter, but until it proves to yield success and fruit, it will only remain as such. Hopefully the Jazz will be better in 2012-13, and that these moves yield the type of success that many Jazz fans have been waiting for, and that is a trip to the 2nd round of the playoffs and beyond.

How Should The Jazz Handle Their Front Court Log Jam?

The Utah Jazz finished the 2012 lockout compressed season much better than many people thought they would. Most people didn't have them even making the playoffs, but to their credit, they found a way to get the 8th and final spot in the western conference. Devin Harris found his groove late, Derrick Favors showed why he's the cornerstone piece of this franchise, and Al Jefferson showed why he in all reality was and is an upgrade from Carlos "no show" Boozer.
  But even with all that, the Jazz still have problems that they need to address. Who is their long term point guard? Is Ty Corbin really the guy to lead them? Should they resign CJ Miles? But among all their issues, the biggest problem the Jazz have to worry about is what to do with their logjam in the front court. The Jazz have six big men who all have a ton of upside and potential.
      Al Jefferson is the best big man on the team at the moment, and the only one who can log in significant minutes at center. Averaging 19 points and 9 rebounds, Al Jefferson was the best big man on the team over the course of 4 quarters. He also blocked nearly 2 shots a game, and was a good defensive presence in the paint. Al Jefferson showed that if paired with a good point guard, he can do tremendous damage off the pick and roll, and can be a legitimate #1 option on playoff caliber team. One other thing to remember about Al Jefferson,  is that he is  young (27 years old) with his best basketball ahead of him.

       Paul Millsap was the #2 option in the paint, averaging 16 points and 9 boards per game. Millsap was the Utah's most clutch player in the 4th quarter this season, and when Utah really needed a bucket, Millsap was the man to go to. His rebounding abilities and hustle is second to none in the NBA, and he is one of the hardest working players in the league. Every season, Millsap gets better, improving in many facets of the game.  Like Al Jefferson, he's still very young (27 years old) and also has his best hoop ahead of him.
    Derrick Favors is only 20 years old, but he is the cornerstone piece of the Utah franchise. He has grown a lot since his rookie season, and he's only going to get better. There's no doubt that he has serious all-star potential, and has the potential to be a franchise changing player. The Utah organization envisions many deep playoff runs, and possibly a championship in a few seasons. One of the reasons for this is because of Derrick Favors. The sky is the limit for this young man, and if he can harness his talent, look out.
    Enes Kanter is also only 20 years old, but like Favors, he has a TON of upside. Strong, aggressive, and physical down low backed up with a solid offensive game. If Derrick Favors becomes Batman in Utah, no doubt Enes Kanter will be Robin or better yet, something like Spiderman. The point is, Kanter is supposed to evolve into the starting center position with Derrick Favors starting at the power forward spot. He showed early signs of being a good offensive rebounder, which means he's aggressive and hustles. The only thing that he and Favors need is a more polished inside game and moves. But once they get that part of their game refined, these two guys are going to be scary.
    Jeremy Evans is by far the big man with the furthest to go in terms of development, and is also the one who needs to put on the most muscle. But Evans has one thing going for him that makes him a valuable player for Utah. The kid has freakish athleticism and he's only 24 years old. He's the kind of kid who comes in with a burst of energy and can ignite the Jazz by blocking a shot or by throwing down a spectacular dunk. His nickname "the human pogo stick" is a perfect description of him, since that is basically his only calling card. But if he can develop a more reliable inside game, get some moves, and learn to shoot a little bit, Jeremy Evans could become a scary player in the NBA. If you think Blake Griffin can get up, you haven't watched Jeremy Evans dunk!
   Now I mentioned that there were six promising big men for the Jazz. But only five of them played for them last season. Who is the sixth big man I'm talking about? That would be Ante Tomic, a 7 foot 2 Croatian who the Jazz drafted in 2008. He is rumored to have game similar to Pau Gasol, and is a true/pure center.  He has a very solid offensive game in the middle and can stretch the floor similar to what Mehemet Okur did. He is sort of like the Ricky Rubio of the Utah Jazz. A European player with tremendous potential clouded in mystery since he is yet to come over to the NBA. How good is he really? It's hard to say, but I've read raving reviews about him, and if he's as good as billed, then Utah will have to strongly consider working him into their championship puzzle. It has been rumored that he could come over as soon as the 2012-13 season but more realistically 2013-14.
      All six players I mentioned have tremendous upside, and would all be great guys to keep for years to come. The problem, is finding playing time for all of these guys. Due to the fact that he's the #5 big man on the team, Jeremy Evans hardly sees the court, and with Millsap and Jefferson being the best big men at the moment, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter are getting limited minutes. What Utah realistically needs to do is trade one of these five players sometime either this season, or the next. Jefferson is a tough one to deal because he's the best big man on the team and can also play the center position. Derrick Favors is not even an option to trade since he's the "cornerstone of the franchise". Enes Kanter may not be the cornerstone of the franchise, but he's a big part of that foundation that Kevin O'Connor is putting together in Utah. Jeremy Evans doesn't really have any trade value, and is cheap, so there's no reason to let him go. As for Tomic,  if he comes over, then Utah will definitely have to consider moving somebody since they will definitely want to see if they can bank on an investment they made four years ago. Trading Tomic is a possibility, but with the potential that he has, I don't see Utah pulling the trigger on that just yet.
   But Paul Millsap just might be the kind of guy that Utah needs to trade to make their team better, as much as it pains me as a fan to suggest. Here's why: Within two seasons, Derrick Favors is going to be starting at the power forward spot full time, which means Millsap would either come off the bench, or start at small forward, which isn't his natural position. Also, Millsap is a very valuable player who Utah could deal to get another piece like a better point guard, or a more sturdy shooting guard. Plenty of teams would want him, and would be willing to offer some really good players for him. Millsap is improving every season, which also raises his trade value, and increases the number of teams that would want him.
      As you can see, Utah has a bigman problem. A problem that is generally a good problem. You can't have too much size/height in the NBA, but in Utah's case it might be wise to make a trade soon and take advantage of this deep reservoir of big men that they have built over the years. They have concerns at the point guard and also shooting guard positions. While Alec Burks and Gordon Hayward are good players who will be able to carry the load soon, Utah would be wise to deal one of these big men to give their back court more assistance. I know for sure that the Jazz are fully aware of this problem, and that they are thinking of ways to solve it. It will be interesting to see what Kevin O'Connor comes up with for sure, and I wouldn't at all be surprised if Paul Millsap's name gets thrown around as possible trade bait.
                                     

                                      (below is footage of Ante Tomic playing in case you haven't seen him play before)

     

Jazz Staying Alive For The #8 Spot

     The regular season is coming to a rapid close and the Jazz find themselves 2 games back of Houston and Denver for the #8 spot. With only 5 games to go, things don't look so bright for the Jazz, who have dropped 2 games in a row @ New Orleans and  @ Memphis.  But there is reason to hope and feel confident that the Jazz will make the playoffs this year.
        First off, the Jazz have 4 of their 5 games at Energy Solutions Arena. They play Dallas, Orlando, Portland, and Phoenix all at home. Dallas will be a tough home game, but the Jazz are a good home team this year at 21-8, and they also get amped up for big home games. Dallas is a big home game, and the Jazz will be pumped to play come Monday. There's no reason to not think the Jazz can't finish with at least 4 more wins in total, maybe even finish on a 5 game winning streak. The schedule could be a lot worse.
      Second reason to have hope is Denver and Houston play each other twice. If one of those two teams can win both games, that would help the Jazz out immensely. Also, the Jazz hold the tiebreaker with both teams which means they don't have to get ahead of any of them. They just need to tie them.
     Third reason to have hope for the Jazz to make the playoffs is their opponents are banged up. Orlando probably won't play with Dwight Howard and we all know how bad they have been even when he's on the floor. Orlando should be a free win. Lamarcus Aldridge is done for the season, so the Jazz should beat the Blazers at home and in Portland (there one remaining road game).
     The fourth reason to have hope is they get to avenge their loss to the Suns. They play the Suns one more time and it's in SLC. That could be a huge game that decides a playoff spot and luckily for the Jazz the game is in Utah. I don't see the Suns escaping with a win in Utah for a second time. I expect the Jazz to  beat them this time around. They are going to be motivated to beat the pulp out of Phoenix and at least make sure they don't get a playoff spot.
   The fifth reason to have hope for is the Rockets are sliding. The Rockets like Utah have lost 2 games in a row, and I wouldn't be surprised if Denver beats them twice in a row which would total their losing streak to 4. At that point, the wheels could really come off Houston and thanks to their arch-rival Denver Nuggets, the Jazz may end up getting the #8 spot.
  Now I know some of you Jazz fans are kinda hoping the Jazz miss the playoffs so they can enter the lottery and get a good draft pick. Do remember that the Jazz possess the Warriors first round pick top 7 protected. So, the Jazz may still end up with a really good draft pick. Also, I personally think this team would learn and grow a lot from a playoff series. Coach Corbin would also get some playoff coaching experience, etc. It would do wonders for all the young talent the Jazz already possess. Hayward, Burks, Favors, Kanter, and Jefferson would all taste post season basketball. Devin Harris and Paul Millsap would be back in the playoffs again, etc. I think making the playoffs would be great for the Jazz and their young team. Even if they get swept. It would be great for the franchise and be a good stepping stone in the progression of the Jazz. Let's hope the stars align and all this happens so we can see the Jazz in the playoffs in a couple of weeks!!!

Jeremy Evans Wins Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

(Image from espn.go.com)

The 2012 All-Star Weekend Festivities were highlighted by Team New York taking the Shooting Stars Challenge, Tony Parker winning the Skills Challenge, and Kevin Love stunning everybody by winning the 3-Point Shootout as a Power Forward. But the final act was the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, the most anticipated event of every All-Star Saturday Night, and all 4 dunkers brought something to the table. Chase Budginger of the Houston Rockets, Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, and Jeremy Evans of the Utah Jazz were the four participants. While not being a star-studded dunk contest, there were still plenty of great dunks.
But the highlight of the night was Jeremy Evans jumping over teammate Gordon Hayward who tossed him two balls in the air to simultaneously grab and then dunk in the hoop. It was a fantastic dunk, and it wowed the crowd. Other dunks were great as well like Paul George's glow in the dark 360 dunk, Derrick Williams 360 off the side of the backboard reverse jam, and Chase Budginger's reverse blind fold jam. But Jeremy Evans' 2 ball dunk was enough to win him the dunk contest, especially since the rest of his dunks weren't all that impressive. He had one great dunk up his sleeves, he executed it, and he won. It was a great night for Evans, and the Utah Jazz.
But this dunk contest title did more than just boost Evans' confidence, it boosted the whole Utah Jazz franchise. The Jazz have been in a rut, and watching young Jeremy Evans have a great outing and win certainly lifted the spirits of the Jazz. Especially after a heartbreaking loss at the buzzer to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Jazz are in transition, and making the playoffs will be a challenge, but if all goes well, the Jazz can still qualify and make a run in the playoffs. Lets hope Jeremy Evans' dunk contest title will help provide the Jazz a much needed spark.

Heartbreaking Loss for the Jazz in Minneapolis

The Jazz had a hard fought loss tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves. With a lead as much as 18 points, the Jazz couldn't put the Wolves away. Paul Millsap had 25 points and 9 rebounds and was taking it to Kevin Love all night. What was most heartbreaking about it was after the Wolves came back to take the lead in the 4th Quarter, Ricky Rubio bricked two free throws which gave the Jazz the ball with the shot clock off. After nearly fumbling away the ball, the Jazz were fortunate to retain possession on a loose ball. Then with 16 seconds they drew up a play with Al Jefferson taking Kevin Love one-on-one. Jefferson drilled a mid range jumper to tie the game at 98 with only 7 seconds left.
It appeared like the Jazz would head to overtime. But the Wolves came back and handed the ball off to Luke Ridnour who squirted down the lane and hit a nice floater at the buzzer to win 100-98. The Target Center erupted with joy at the hands of the Utah Jazz. It was a disappointing game because of the way that the Jazz handed it to the Wolves all night. They were alley-ooping it and everything. The Jazz are gonna have a rough all-star break thinking about that play. Luckily, they have Jeremy Evans in the Dunk Contest to look forward to. That will help lift the spirits of the Jazz and Jazz Nation.